Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. RSWINT. GAR COUPLING.

No. 577,464. Patented Feb. Z3, 1897.

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u 3 j u D 2/ .5. 3 2/ u g a I v /7 7 4 /0 d I 0 /3 141 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACKSON F. SWINT, OF STROUD, ALABAMA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,464, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed August 4, 1896. Serial No. 601,669.' (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,JAOKSON F. SWINT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stroud, in the county of Chambers and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

' My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in car-couplers, the object of the same being to provide a coupler for cars which can be operated from the side, and means for coupling cars of different heights.

The invention consists of a draw-head having a longitudinal recess in the forward end thereof, a stirrup moving in suitable guides on the sides of said draw-head, a couplingpin secured to the upper bar of said stirrup and projecting down through a slot in said draw-head across the recess therein, a rockshaft mounted in suitable bearings upon the under side of the car and provided with operating-handles at each end, and a lever fulcrumed in a bracket on the under side of the draw-head, loosely mounted at one end to the under side of said stirrup, and provided with an elongated slot or guide therein, within which the crank-arm on said rock-shaft fits.

The invention also consists of a link guide or support for holding the coupling-link at different angles to accommodate it to drawheads of different heights. This link guide or support is made up of a flanged plate movable in suitable ways on the under side of said draw-head and operated by means of a rock-shaft mounted upon the under side of the car and provided with operating-handles upon each end.

The invention also consists in other details of construction and combinations of parts,

' which will be hereinafter more fully described Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sec-' 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is a. front elevation.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

The two cars 1 1 are each mounted upon suitable wheels 2 and have the usual drawheads 3, each having a longitudinal recess 4 in its outer end, within which the couplinglink 5 is adapted to fit. Mounted in suitable guideways 6 6 on the side of the draw-head 3 is a stirrup 7, having a coupling-pin 8 secured to the upper bar thereof, which projeots through the vertical slot or opening 9 through the draw-head 3 across the recess 4 at the forward end of said draw-head. Mounted in suitable bearings on the under side of the car is a rock-shaft 10, having operating-handles 11 11, extending to the outside of the car. The crank portion 12 of said rock-shaft moves within the slot or guide 13 in the lever 14, fulcrumed in a bracket 15 upon the under side of the car and is loosely connected at its free end to the lower side of the stirrup 7. By this means it will be seen that by turning the rock-shaft 10 by one or the other of the operating-handles 11 said stirrup 7, carrying the coupling-pin 8, may be raised for the purpose of uncoupling the cars or may be lowered for the purpose of coupling them. It is not necessary for the brakeman to pass between the cars and thereby endanger his life.

Mounted in suitable guideways 16 upon the under side of the draw-head 3 is a sliding plate 17, having a flange 18 at its forward end, which projects-up in front of the forward end of the draw-head 3 and acts as a guide or support for the link 5. This plate 17 is formed with a loop 19 at a point near its center, through which extends the crank portion 20 of a rock-shaft 21, fulcrumed upon the under side of the car 1 and provided with operatinghandles 22, projecting beyond the sides of said car. The link-supporter is provided for the purpose of permitting the coupling of two cars Whose draw-heads are at different heights. The link 5, secured by the couplingpin 8 in the recess lof the draw-head of one of the cars 1, is supported by the flange 18 upon the forward end of the plate 17, the outer ends of said link projecting downwardly, so as to couple with a car whose draw-head is lower than that in which said link is secured. To raise the outer end of the link, it is merely necessary to slide the plate 17 outwardly in its bearings by rocking the shaft 21 by one or the other of its operating-handles 22.

My improved device is extremely simple in construction, can be cheaply made, and, so far as I am aware, is the most effective coupler that has yet been devised.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination with a car, of the drawhead thereof, having a recess in its forward end for receiving the coupling-link, a stirrup slidingly mounted on the side of said drawhead, a coupling-pin secured to said stirrup and projecting through an opening in said draw-head, a rock-shaft mounted in suitable hearings on the under side of the car and having operating-handles thereon which project outwardly from the side of the car and a lever fulcrumed upon the under side of the car, loosely connected at its free end to said stirrup and provided with a slot or guide through which a crank-arm on said rock-shaft passes, whereby, upon the turning of said rock-shaft, said stirrup may be raised and lowered and the cars coupled or uncoupled, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J AOKSON F. S\VINT. Witnesses:

WM. 0. DEAN, WM. R. AVERY. 

